Drilling rig



Aug. 4, 1942. A. L. LAY ElAL 2,291,732

DRILLING RIG I Filed April 26, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 4, 1942; A. L.LAY ETAL 2,291,732

DRILLING RIG- 1942- A, L. LAY EIAL 2,291,732

DRILLING RIG Filed April 26, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 4,1942

, DRILLING BIG Arthur L. Lay and Carl C. Farque, San Antonio, Tex.,asslgnors to Olive S. Petty, San Antonio,

Tex.

Application April 26,1940, Serial No. 331,878 2 Claims. (Cl. 255-19)This invention relates to drilling rigs such as are primarily intendedfor use in connection with core drilling operations, the drilling ofshot holes in seismic surveying, and the like. It is the principalobject of the invention to provide a compact portable rig for these andsimilar purposes.

In a preferred form of the invention the rig comprises five principalparts, a support, a derrick, a power means, an encased powertransmitting mechanism, and the drill operating mechanism. It is afeature of the invention that the rig may readily be dismantled and itscomponent parts moved from place to place. For this purpose each of theprincipal parts preferably weigh less than 100 pounds each so that theassembly or dismantling of the rig may be effected by one man equippedwith a single wrench for the manipulation of a few bolts. Preferably,all elements are mounted on a single support so that the entiremechanism may be moved on the skids of the support from one drillingoperation to another without dismantling. In attaining these and otherobjects and features of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, wehave provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of whichis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled drilling rig;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the chain drive casing and associatedelements;

Figure 3 is a perspective view partly in section, of the drill operatingmechanism of the rig; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the chain drive casing and apart of the drill operating mechanism.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, specificlanguage is employed in describing the embodiment of the invention shownin the drawings and selected for the purpose of illustrating theprinciples thereof. It will, nevertheless, be understood that nolimitation of the scope of the invention is intended by the use of suchspecific language, various structural alterations and modificationsbeing contemplated, such as would occur to one skilled in the art towhich the invention relates. v

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the entire rig is shown mountedon a frame or support which preferably comprises two parallel bars orskids it on which are mounted parallel upright members l2 and parallelinclined members ll. Members in and H are connected by by various bracesas at I4 and IS. The entire support may thus be formed of conventionalstructural metal elements and all members may be connected together inany conventional manner but are preferably bolted.

Mounted upon the support is a derrick comprising three or moreupstanding tubular supports l1, l8, and I9 at the apex of which ismounted a pulley 20. A rope 2| passing over pulley and operated bycathead 22, is adapted to lift the swivel head 23 which holds the upperend of the conventional Kelly rod.

A gasoline engine 26 is mounted on the support by means of a cross bar21. The power or driving shaft 3|! of the engine enters a housing orcasing 28 in which are located chain drive members which drive ahydraulic pump 29, the cathead 22, and a drill rotating mechanism 3|through a clutch mechanism 22. The drill mechanism includes a Kelly rod34 which is reciprocated by parallel pistons 35-35 through chuck 36.

elements l3 and the skids it are held in place 5 Referring now to Figure2 which shows the exterior of the chain drive casing 28, it will be seenthat the casing is substantially rectangular and that the engine shaft30 enters the lower part of the casing. The hydraulic pump 29 isoperable by a shaft located centrally of the casing, and the cathead 22is near the upper end of the casing. The pump 29 is connected to fluidsupply tank 39 by pipe 40 and to the hydraulic cylinders 50 through thepipe M, the fluid returning from the cylinders through pipe 42 into thetank 39. Inserted in the pipe M is a safety high pressure relief valve43, a manually operable pressure control or shut-off valve 44, and amanually operable four-way valve 41 for changing the direction ofreciprocation of the hydraulic pistons. The casing 28 and tank 39 aremounted on the support by means of the cross-bar 4B and bolted thereon,bolt holes 49 being provided in the cross-bar.

Referring now to Figure 3 which shows the drill operating mechanism, itwill be seen that the drill is reciprocated by means of hydraulicpistons 35-35 operating in the cylinders 50-50. The cylinders aresupplied, as hereinbefore mentioned, through pipe 4| and the fluidreturns to the tank by means of pipe 42. To facilitate assembly of theparts, portions of pipes 4i and 42 may be made of flexible material, asat 5| and 52. The pistons 35-35 are connected to the chuck 36 by meansof the yoke 53 and the bearing members 5%. The Kelly rod rotatingmechanism 3i is attached to driven shaft 55 by means Referring now toFigure 4 which is a sectional view of the chain drive casing showing itsoperative connection with the drill rotating mechanism, it will be seenthat drive shaft 30 in the lower end of the casing has a small sprocketwheel integral with the shait. An endless chain 6| connects the sprocket46 with a larger sprocket 62 integral with the central driven shaft 63which operates the hydraulic pump 29 and upon which is also integrallymounted a smaller sprocket 64 approximately corresponding in size tosprocket 46. Sprocket 64 drives another endless chain 66 which rotates alarge sprocket wheel 61 substantlally the same size as sprocket 62 andrigidly mounted on driven shaft 32 at one end of which is mounted thecathead 22 and the other end of which is adapted to engage the rotarydrill driving mechanism 3|. It will be seen that the plates of thecasing are held in place by means of bolts 69-69 and spacer sleevesHI-10; adjustable chain tighteners 72-72 are interposed between thesprocket wheels. A clutch mechanism 32 connects the driven shaft 56 anda drill rotating shaft 1.5. The shaft operates in bearings 16 and has abevel gear 11 at its end which drives bevel gear 18, thus through theKelly rod bearing 19. In the operation of the drill it will be seen thatthe gasoline motor drives shaft 30 at a higher rate of speed than thecentral shaft 63 driving the hydraulic pump and that the driven shaft 56rotates at a speed still slower than the central shaft. The operator maystart or stop the rotating mechanism by the control means 51 and he maycontrol the reciprocation of the pistons by the valve 41.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the assembly is a simple matter.The support is first rotating the Kelly rod 34 assembled and bolted.together and the derrick bolted on it. The drill operating mechanism isthen put in place and bolted through the holes I! in cross-bar 58. Nextthe power transmission casing is put in place and bolted to the supportthrough holes 49 in cross-bar 48 and to the lower cross brace. Flexiblehoses 5| and 52 are now inserted to connect the pump and the hydraulicpistons. The engine is then put in place with the shaft inserted in it,and is bolted to the support. The rope is strung from the'cathead 22 tothe swivel head 23 over the pulley 20 and the rig is ready foroperation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a portable drilling rig, a derrick, a support, three separateunits adapted to be held in place on said support comprising an engineunit; a drill mechanism comprising a drill with hydraulic feed and agear operated drill revolving means; and a casing unit including acasing member, a chain drive within said casing mem-- her andoperatlvely connecting said engine and said drill revolving means, ahydraulic pump, and a tank for hydraulic fluid attached on the outsideof said casing; means on each of said three units for detachablysecuring them to said support and conduits for conveying fluid betweensaid hydraulic feed and said pump and tank.

2. In a drilling rig, the combination of an engine, a drill mechanismcomprising a hydraulic feed and drill revolving means, a casing unitincluding a casing member, drive means within said casing operativelyconnecting said engine and said drill revolving means, a hydraulic pumpand tank-carried by said casing member and conduits between saidhydraulic feed, pump and tank.

ARTHUR L. LAY. CARL C. FARQUE.

